In a bid to keep the vegetable sector vibrant and economically beneficial, Dr. Felix Kamassah, the president of the Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association of Ghana (VEPEAG) and managing partner of Maphlix Trust Ghana Limited, the largest vegetable farm in West Africa, has lauded the Food and Agricultural Ministry for its efforts to rehabilitate some abandoned greenhouses in the Dawhenya Irrigation Scheme area.
According to Dr. Kamassah, the move by the ministry will exponentially increase vegetable yields while providing jobs for interested farmers and young people.
Speaking to The Ghanaian Farmer, Dr. Kamassah highlighted the benefits of vegetable production to the economy, including job creation, food security, and the alleviation of poverty and hunger.
“It is great news because I have been advocating for these greenhouses to become operational, and calling on the minister to visit and see the situation for himself makes me happy. The minister wants the private sector to take over, and Maphlix is here to ensure the operationalisation of the greenhouses. I cannot fathom why we have abandoned over 100 greenhouses,” Dr. Kamassah stated.
Dr. Kamassah also indicated that the training center, which is intended for the youth, will be made operational again when Maphlix takes over to train them. Additionally, Maphlix will work closely with the National Service Secretariat to provide knowledge and expertise to some graduates on growing tomatoes and other key vegetables to enhance local consumption and export.
Adding his voice to the conversation, Agric Minister Eric Opoku said, “the greenhouse project will fall under the Vegetable Development Project (‘YƐREDUA’) to enhance the production of tomatoes, onions, peppers, and other vegetables through greenhouses and other modern infrastructure for controlled environment farming.”
The minister also said there will be designated ready-to-farm spaces for sustainable open-field cultivation under irrigation, along with the provision of technical support for existing urban and peri-urban vegetable farmers, as well as the promotion of home, school, and community gardening.
When operational, the greenhouses are estimated to have the capacity to produce 4,500 tonnes of vegetables valued at $1.9 million annually.
Greenhouses offer numerous benefits to farmers by allowing them to control the conditions needed for effective crop cultivation. Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, water availability, light, and nutrient availability are now under the farmer’s control.
This reduces the farmer’s dependence on environmental factors for crop yield to a minimum, allowing virtually any kind of crop to be harvested at any time of the year, thereby maximizing productivity. Additionally, food prices remain stable since the factors controlling plant yield are managed, which is undeniably a step in the right direction.
Reporting by Stephen Freeman, Dawhenya.
